


Strength in Family

by InnerGlow11



Series: Making Your Family (BotW AU) [1]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Family Bonding, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), for the Zora Armor prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-12
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 14:40:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29370168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InnerGlow11/pseuds/InnerGlow11
Summary: He had family here in Zora's Domain. He didn't need any new adventures with all he had going on. The goddesses don't really give him a choice.aka: Wild joins the group to make it five Links but with a twist.
Relationships: Legend & Time & Twilight & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe), Link & Original Character(s), Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda)
Series: Making Your Family (BotW AU) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2157570
Comments: 7
Kudos: 57
Collections: Linked Universe Write-offs!





	Strength in Family

“Hey, Dad?”

“Hm?”

Link looked up from the freshly caught fish, glancing at the boy. Said boy, though he was more a man, Link supposed, wrung his hands together nervously. That wasn’t normal. Link frowned and put down his knife, giving the half Zora his full attention.

“There are some Hylians here looking for you.”

Link’s face immediately hardened. His boy, Ryota, wasn’t normally the type to be nervous around people. They must be shady. Probably Yiga. He grabbed his sword and went to go outside but his son put his hand on Link’s shoulder and said, “Wait!”

Link looked at him curiously. What now?

“I need to get ready,” Ryota explained, then headed back to his things. This only further confused Link. If they were Yiga then he’d have no qualms about only having shorts on. Normally, with his Zora parts, Ryota didn’t really like to wear much clothing. Not only did it make him uncomfortable, but having been raised with the Zora, who didn’t really wear clothes, he’d gotten used to not having much on.

So why was he putting on a shirt? Granted, it was one of the ones made to go above his gills, but still. Were they important people then? That could possibly explain it. But Ryota had met Zelda already and hadn’t been like this back then. Just who were these people? ...Maybe he should change too.

He looked down at his wet zora armor, a puddle forming on the ground from all the water dripping off him. (Not that it mattered much in Zora’s Domain.) He’d just finished fishing with Sidon and was starting dinner, which now seemed like it’d have to be postponed. But these days he normally liked to wear them whenever he was in Zora’s Domain. It made him feel like less of an outsider here, with the full set on. Spending time with his son was worth coming here regardless though. He’d even begun considering moving here. But… well, he didn’t really feel like changing out of the armor his wife once gave him. It was one of his greatest treasures. So, whoever the Hylians were could deal with it.

Ryota, finished getting ready, went back out and Link followed. It didn’t take long before he spotted them, gathered in front of Mipha’s statue. It was a motley group, with all shapes and sizes, but something that caught his eye was the wolf pelt on one of the men. It instantly made his blood boil. If that happened to be Wolfie’s pelt--! But no, it couldn’t be. Wolfie wouldn’t be dumb enough to get caught. ...Wherever he was.

He’d calmed down by the time they reached the group, and it turned out that some of them were actually boys. Yet all seemed armed to the teeth and moved like capable fighters. Just who were they? The largest one, with the heavy armor and one eye, moved forward as they approached and smiled at them. Link didn’t trust it. He hadn’t ruled out the Yiga theory just yet.

“Is this Link?” the man asked Ryota, and his boy nodded nervously, glancing back at him. Ah, so Ryota didn’t know how to react. This was strange, that was for sure. The man smiled again, though it looked like a sadder one, and said, “Well then, it seems you’re next to join us, Link.”

Link raised an eyebrow. What now? The man seemed to understand and gestured to the other three behind him as he explained, “We’re all Link. We just come from different times. We’ve been called together by the goddesses.”

Link watched them for a moment, but they all seemed dead serious. The one with the pink in his hair seemed upset by that fact. Then Link laughed. Did they seriously think they were going to get him with that?

“Yeah, I thought it was a joke too,” the grumpy pink haired one said, effectively shutting Link up as he continued, “But it’s unfortunately not. And believe me, you can’t say no. I tried.”

His face soured considerably and he shot a glare up to the heavens. If looks could kill… Well, maybe this was serious after all. Link crosses his arms and scowls at them. Before, he would have jumped on the chance in a heartbeat. But now that he had family… He couldn’t just leave.

Link points to Ryota and says, “Sorry, but I got a son to take care of.”

The four instantly look at the half Zora, the little boy with the blue shirt’s eyes going almost comically huge. Link was well aware that his son was taller than him, which was thanks to his mother’s Zora blood. And that he didn’t exactly look normal. Or like he could even remotely be his kid. But he looked Hylian enough! His body looked normal for a Hylian. Besides his head fin. And his gills. And his arm fins and claws. Ok, so he looked pretty abnormal, but he seemed to be a healthy mix of both and had grown up to be a fine young man. That was what mattered.

“ _He’s_ your son?” the man with the wolf pelt asked, disbelief clear as day on his face. Here they go again. Honestly, Link hated explaining it, but if he didn’t people thought they were ...weirdos was probably a good enough word for it. And he wouldn’t do that to his son. He sighed, then started, “A hundred years ago I was married to his mother. I was badly injured in a fight and had to heal for those hundred years so when I finally woke up he was… well, older. Not an old man though, which has to be thanks to his Zora part. So, yes, he’s my son. I know he’s taller. You should see his grandpa and his uncle, seems to run in the family.”

Honestly, Ryota wasn’t even all that tall. Hylian wise, he’d be among the tallest, yes, but Zora wise he was pretty average.

The Hylians looked between the pair, scrutinizing, before the one eyed man put his hand on his chin and thoughtfully said, “I can see it.”

“Seriously? I can’t see any similarities,” the blue shirted boy said, his nose wrinkling up in confusion.

“Look at the head shape beyond the fin, and the build of their bodies. They’re similar alright,” the grumpy one said, though he didn’t sound grumpy while saying it, just analytical.

“And their eyes, their shape is the same even if the color isn’t,” the wolf pelted one added.The little guy just rolled his eyes at them and nonchalantly said, “Yeah yeah whatever.”

Instantly his eyes were elsewhere, looking around excitedly while he offhandedly said, “You think we could explore here for a bit?”

The glint of excitement was in his eyes and Link felt a little tug of sadness. He hadn’t ever had the chance to see his own boy like this. He forced a chuckle and replied, “Well, I’m sure the Zora won’t mind. Just remember that this place is well guarded so don’t try anything shady.”

“I won’t!” the boy yelled, already taking off to investigate the sleeping pools. The one eyed man (who seemed to be their leader) reached forward and opened his mouth to say something, then instead sighed and put his arm back down, seemingly deciding to just let the boy do his own thing. Turning back to Link, the man says, “Well, back to business, I suppose. I do insist that you chose to do this on your own though, before the goddesses choose for you and you’re ripped away without preparation.”

Link scowled. Back to this? He’d already given them his answer. Waving them off, he firmly answers, “Sorry, but no thanks. I’m done with hero stuff for a bit. Got some things to catch up on. So, you’re welcome to stay so long as you’re nice, but otherwise, goodbye!”

With that, he turns on his heel and walks off, passing Sidon, who is just walking over and gives him a confused look, and on back up the stairs. The royal chambers are nice and each person actually gets their own room if they want it, which is nicer. Link heads to his son’s room, _his and Mipha’s room_ , and goes right back to the fish. He’s got a meal to prepare.

“...Dad.”

He can feel the eyes on the back of his head and could hear Ryota following him back up here, but he wants no part of this right now.

“...Dad, they seem to only mean well.”

No. He’s not doing this right now. He’s just going to make a meal for him and his small, broken family to share.

“Dad. C’mon, this isn’t like you. Ignoring people that seem to need help?”

...Can’t they just be a normal family for a bit? Does something always have to happen?

“You’re right,” he finally mumbles in reply, “And I believe them. I just… I don’t want to leave you.”

He buries his head in his hands, ignoring the fish guts on them. Why? He was starting to want to try and give Ryota some semblance of a father, as broken and messed up as he was. Why did Hylia have to do this? He feels a gentle, clawed hand on his shoulder and peeks over to find his boy there, sad, sympathetic smile on his face.

...How did he get so lucky? He married the kindest woman in the world and got the best son anyone could ask for. He didn’t deserve them. But you better believe he’d treasure them. Smiling softly back, he reaches up and squeezes the half Zora’s hand. They stay there for a moment, comforting each other, until Link sighs and releases his grip, Ryota’s hand retracting as he stands up straight again.

Then he gets an idea.

“I will,” he tells his son before he can say anything else, “But first, why don’t we give them a big Zora welcome?”

* * *

The surprise went over well. They had all come up to the royal chambers and had stared at the array of food, the boy actually starting to drool. They’d invited the Hylians to join them and no one had protested.

Honestly, talking with them over dinner helped solidify the fact that they were actually heroes. I mean, who else would have all these stories of monsters and dungeons but them? The rest of his family had seemed baffled by the idea but Link had just shrugged. Seemed like an average day for a hero, honestly.

The heroes seemed surprised by how large Dorephan was, and how friendly Sidon was, but for some reason they seemed most shocked by the fact that he’d cooked all of this. The others liked their fish raw, so who else was going to make actual meals around here? (Yes, even Ryota, though he said if he ate too much raw fish he started feeling sick.)

Seems that none of them could cook all that well, though some of them knew a few recipes. But apparently they were getting sick of those few. Well, Link liked cooking, he might as well help them out.

It was… nice. Having dinner with his family and getting to know these people. They seemed like pretty decent folk. Even grumpy seemed like he was having a good time. Speaking of…

“So you’re all named Link too?” Link asks.

“Yep!” the kid chirps merrily, taking another mouthful of fish.

“Doesn’t that get confusing?” the king asks next.

“It did,” the leader replies, “that’s why we came up with nicknames.”

“Oh?” Sidon inquires, eyes sparkling, “and what are those?”

“I’m Wind!” the boy shoots up and yells. Grumpy yanks him back into his chair and mumbles, “I’m Legend.”

“You can call me Twilight,” the wolf pelted one says.

“And mine is Time,” the leader finishes.

“Why those?” Dorephan asks, scratching his chin. The one eyed one, Time, shrugs and replies, “Because we wanted to be called those. I’m sure they have some significance to everyone in some way.”

The king nods in seemingly agreement when Ryota gasps and whips around in his seat, facing his father and looking at him with such excitement while he exclaims, “Then you need to pick your nickname too!”

Link leans back and laughs, “I don’t even know what I’d use!”

“What about Cook? Or Fisher? Or-” Ryota starts spouting off.

“Woah woah woah,” Link says, laughing harder, “Those are all terrible nicknames! But thank you.”

Ryota deflates a bit, and Link feels bad, but he doesn’t wanna be known as _Fisher_ the rest of the time he’s traveling with them. ...He’s still reluctant to go, actually, but… He knows it’s the right thing to do. And seems he doesn’t have much of a choice anyways, according to Legend.

He thinks back for a minute. Something that would mean something to him… Well, he did travel all over. And everything was in ruins… But Travel and Ruin doesn’t sound right, even if the last one would be pretty accurate. Suddenly, he remembers this little tidbit from one of his few memories with Mipha and… well, he can’t imagine anything more perfect.

“Call me Wild,” he says. The king takes a breath and sighs, “Ah.”

So he understood, then.

“You know,” Twilight says, “for some reason, I feel like that really fits you.”

Link grins wickedly at him, then goes back to his food.

Soon enough they’re all done. Everyone helps clean up, even Legend, (So it seems him being grumpy doesn't mean he doesn’t know manners. Good to know.) and then Link’s escorting them back down to the inn with Ryota. Yet as he’s doing so he hears screaming. Everyone immediately grabs their weapons and rush out, only to halt when they see a big, black swirling thing in front of Mipha’s statue. The other Links sigh and he and his son glance at them curiously. Twilight only shrugs and says, “That’s how we got here. So it must be time to go.”

Link freezes. Go? Now? But-- he’s not ready yet!

Time pats his shoulder and sympathetically says, “It won’t close for a bit. You have time to grab your things.”

He glances at Ryota and Link gets the implied _and say goodbye_. He knows he already decided he’d go with them, but-- He’d thought there’d be more time. He thought he’d get to say proper goodbyes to them. Now, all he can do is rush to the rooms and grab his things, throwing them into the Sheikah Slate as fast as he can. He doesn’t know just how much time he’ll have before he _really_ has to go.

Rushing back down, he finds Ryota waiting there with the other Links. He shuffles up to his boy, unable to take his eyes off the ground for fear he’ll start crying.

“Got your things?” Time asks, and Link nods weakly.

“Dad?”

He can’t help but look up at that, meeting eyes with his half Zora son.

“...See you later?”

The way he asks that so hesitantly nearly breaks Link’s heart and he instantly grabs Ryota’s arm, pulling him down into a tight hug.

“Of course,” he whispers fiercely, and Ryota returns the hug, his grip tight. They reluctantly pull back, but before they get too far Link grabs his son’s head and pulls it close. He kisses him on the forehead like he’s seen so many other parents do, not caring who sees or what they might think, and gently whispers, “I love you.”

Then he lets him go. Ryota wipes his eyes as he pulls back and gives him a wobbly smile. Link finds himself doing the same. He can feel the gaze of four pairs of eyes burning into his back. He needs to go. But before he does… He grabs Ryota’s hand, clasping it tightly between his, and says, “Tell your uncle and grandpa bye for me.”

“I will,” his boy sniffles.

“And Ryota?”

“Hm?” the half Zora looks at his quizzically, and Link squeezes his hand to add emphasis when he says, “I’ll come back this time. I promise.”

Ryota laughs wetly and replies, “You know you might not be able to keep that.”

“I know, but,” he squeezes his son’s hand again and looks him dead in the eye while he continues, “I’ll try my darndest to keep it. You can believe _that_ at least, right?”

Ryota laughs again, then sniffles and quietly says, “Yeah. I can.”

Link finally releases his grip, turning to the others, who all look at him with pity, and-- are those tears in Legend and Wind’s eyes? Even the older two seem a bit emotional. Link clears his throat and they look at him. With a deep breath, he says, “Let’s go then.”

And he takes a step into a new adventure.

**Author's Note:**

> Ryota means 'strong, stout.' which he is. but he was originally named that for a different reason. yes, you're going to see what that is, because I'm planning on making two more things for this AU. (not like I need more things to work on, but this was for a write off and the idea wouldn't leave me alone.) One of them will be before the Calamity. The other will be after the Calamity but before LU, aka before this.
> 
> Also, I imagine that if Wild is fishing alone he'd use bombs, but if he's fishing with someone like he did with Sidon, then he'll fish like they do so they can have fun doing it together.


End file.
